English idiom

off the cuff

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

said without preparation

Why this phrase?

Speakers were pictured jotting notes on their shirt cuff at the last moment; the phrase means improvised remarks.

Example

“His speech was entirely off the cuff, yet it was the best of the evening.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

on the fly

while something is happening, without prior preparation

play it by ear

To deal with a situation as it develops rather than following a fixed plan.

the gift of the gab

the ability to speak persuasively and fluently

by the seat of your pants

to do something by instinct and improvisation rather than by plan

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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